DARIETH CHISOLM

Imagine waking up one day to find harassing meme’s, nude pictures and videos of yourself online. Images that you were not aware existed, you did not approve of and have no control of removing. The person who committed this atrocious act, you once lived with and loved, lives in a different country and wants to humiliate you and destroy your reputation – and no legislation or law enforcement can prevent this from occurring or ensure those pictures are removed.

This happened to me. I’m Darieth Chisolm and I am a survivor of cybersexual rape and assault, harassment, stalking, and extortion. During this time, I spiraled into the most unimaginable sense of pain, frustration, anger, isolation, confusion, and heartache possible.

I am also an Emmy Award-winning television personality, former NBC News Anchor, author, business visibility and life coach, and I found myself at the very center of this nightmare.

I was cyber-stalked and cyber raped by an ex-boyfriend, who put up a website with damaging and harassing memes and nude photos and videos of me. He took them while I was living with him in Jamaica, asleep, unaware, against my will and without my permission. He also threatened to kill me, if I didn’t return to the controlling relationship.

When he couldn’t kill me, he used a different weapon, his cell phone, loaded it with my naked body and fired it for the world to see. The website has since been shut down but the emotional scar is far from over. While I am seeking civil and criminal charges, my case is stalled by a legal and justice system that is archaic and not prepared to protect thousands of cybercrime victims, especially those involving international predators.

After months of isolation, suffering in shame and silence, I rose from this very humiliating, painful and potentially professionally damaging incident. I’ve created a global movement called 50 Shades of Silence, to bring voice and dignity to victims of cyber harassment and online crimes.

Specifically, 50 Shades of Silence aims to advocate for stricter laws and tougher enforcement for cyber sexual crimes, encourage the accountability and responsiveness among online companies, promote social responsibility for texting, posting and sharing online, and restore dignity and respect to victims and survivors.

The project includes an upcoming documentary, anthology, and website with resources and a social media awareness campaign. You are encouraged to lend a voice to the film, spread the word about the campaign, and becoming a “Patron” in the Patreon crowd fund project to raise money for the film or simply choose a one-time donation. I would greatly appreciate your support, whether it’s through financial, volunteer or simply spreading the message on social media. Thank you.